The autoloader (100) for magnetic tape cartridges (20-29) uses a companion autoloader magazine (11) that holds a plurality of preloaded magnetic tape cartridges (20-29) to individually access any one of the plurality of magnetic tape cartridges (20-29) held by the magazine (11). The autoloader (100) of the present invention is able to move an associated magazine (11) containing a plurality of preloaded magnetic tape cartridges (20-29) in a vertical direction, either up or down, such that the autoloader (100) is able to selectively access any one of the plurality of magnetic tape cartridges (20-29) loaded in the magazine (11). The autoloader (100) contains only two motors: one (113) for controlling the vertical motion of the magazine (11), one (121) for loading a magnetic tape cartridge (20) from the magazine (11) into the associated tape drive (10). The width of the autoloader (100) is equal to or less than the width of the associated tape drive (10) so that two autoloader-tape drive units can be mounted side by side.